A NEW COVENANT LOOK AT CREATION
New Covenant disciples interpret the creation story as a Symbol, Sign, Parables, and Allegory. The do not interpret it as literal truth of how the world and universe were created. They are the disciples to whom Jesus reveals the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God. They are in the great crowd to whom Jesus speaks in parables. Matthew 13: 11 and Luke 8:10:
| The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you (i.e. New Covenant disciples), but to others I speak in parables.” |
Lacking knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, Old/First Covenant religious people are forced to use their intellect to guess the meaning of the parable of creation in Genesis. One of those secrets is found in the following scripture:
Ecclesiastes 1:8-10 KJV: 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done : and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said , See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
COMMENTARY: Readers who bother to click on “things” and “utter” in this scripture will learn that they have been poorly translated from the original Hebrew word (i.e. Dabar ). Dabar has two slightly different meanings (Dabar 1, Dabar 2), but they both are about speech and words.
The word translated as “utter” can also be translated as “promise”. With this insight we can see that God’s speech, or words (including words reported in the bible) are not new things at all. Applying that principle to the Bible, we can say that whatever God speaks of or promises after Genesis has already been told in the creation story. With this analysis in mind, Ecclesiastes 1:8-10 can be rightly translated as follows:
All of God’s words are difficult to understand; man cannot explain them: the eye is not satisfied with what it reads in the bible , nor the ear satisfied with what it hears from religious leaders. 9 The words of God that have been written in Genesis, have the same meanings as the words, stories, parables and allegories that are written elsewhere in the bible; the stories told in Genesis are the stories that are told again and again in the bible: there are no new stories, allegories, or parables that are different from the story told in Genesis. 10 Is there any of God’s words in the bible whereof it may be said. There are no new bible stories that are different from the story told in Genesis. Truths reported in Genesis are repeated throughout the bible.
Verse 8 also reveals man’s inability to interpret scripture symbolically. The reference to eyes seeing and ears hearing parallel other scriptures that bemoan man’s inability to interpret the spiritual intent of God’s word because of hard hearts. What verse 8 means, therefore, is that reading God’s word is difficult for people — including religious leaders — who are not New Covenant disciples. They work at interpreting God’s word but all they receive for their attempts to understand is empty, literal interpretation because they do not have spiritual eyes or ears to interpret the bible symbolically.
Verse 9 says there is nothing new under the sun. When we consider that the sun is a symbolic representation of God, we can interpret this verse to mean that God and his words do not change.
The application of this scripture to creation in particular is that the creation story is in introduction to, and summary of, everything that follows in the Bible. In other words, after the Genesis, there is nothing new under the sun. The story of the Bible is told here first in parable form and then repeated in various forms in other stories. The thing (i.e. God’s spoken word) that “hath been” and “is done” in verse 9 is the creation story in Genesis. That which “shall be” and “shall be done” is the rest of the Bible.
MORE COMMENTARY: Bible literalists have not yet come to accept that Jesus might have used a parable to tell the creation story just like he spoke all other truths. It seems that they somehow see the creation story as an exception to the principle that Jesus always spoke in parables, and/or they have somehow come to believe that the way God speaks in the Old Testament is different from the way that Jesus always spoke. That thinking would be totally inconsistent with Ecclesiastes 1:9-10.
Considering that Jesus’ words are not his own but come from God, we must conclude that God also only speaks in parables. That fact should control how people interpret the creation story: it is a parable — not literal facts.
In holding on to their traditional beliefs about creation, Bible literalists confirm the truth of Ecclesiastes 1:8. They work very hard at trying to understand God’s word, but all they get is the literal word of God. They do not understand the spiritual word of God because they wrongly fix their eyes on what is seen instead of on what is unseen.
In their pride about their ability to interpret difficult scriptures like creation, they ignore other scriptures that teach about symbolism and parables:
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Matthew 13:34: Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
Mark 4:33: With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.
John 16:25: “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.
COMMENTARY: The time to which Jesus is referring is not a global dispensation of time. He is talking about a time that is unique for individuals when they cease to be Old/First Covenant religionsts and have the law written on their hearts and minds (i.e. New Covenant).
Matthew 21:42 KJV: Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures (i.e. Old Testament), The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
Matthew 22:29 KJV: Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. ***
COMMENTARY: Here Jesus rebukes the chief priests and the scribes and the elders for not understanding the spiritual meaning of the law. They were well versed in the literal law because they were still interpreting scripture with Old/First Covenant perspectives. He also rebukes them for not having the power of the Holy Spirit which comes with being a New Covenant disciple.
Jesus’ rebuke of the temple leaders is also a rebuke of religious leaders of today, even though contemporary leaders would proudly and arrogantly argue that they do know the scriptures. Such a claim puts them in good company with chief priests, scribes and elders to whom Jesus spoke.
It can be fairly said that they all, then and now, knew the literal scriptures but did not understand the spiritual intent. They all had a form of godliness without the power of God.
Matthew 26:51-56 KJV: And, behold , one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled , that thus it must be ? 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled . Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled .
COMMENTARY: The reason the disciples fled from Jesus was that their literal reading of the scriptures and prophets did not allow for what was happening to their Messiah. If he was not the Messiah that they anticipated, they would not want to follow him.
Mark 12:24 KJV: And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
COMMENTARY: Here Jesus rebukes the chief priests and the scribes and the elders for not understanding the spiritual meaning of the law. They were well versed in the literal law because they were still interpreting scripture with Old/First Covenant perspectives. He also rebukes them for not having the power of the Holy Spirit which comes with being a New Covenant disciple.
Luke 16:19-31: “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz’arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz’arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz’arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz’arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
COMMENTARY: Here Abraham criticizes the Jews for not properly interpreting the law of Moses with spiritual (i.e. New Covenant) understanding. Jews, being stuck in Old/First Covenant thinking, had the law of Moses, of course, but all they could understand was the literal law. Not having the law written on their hearts, they could not interpret the law’s spiritual meaning.
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'”
COMMENTARY: Obviously the Jews read Moses and the prophets. Their problem was that they interpreted them literally. That is why their religion is known by all of its regulations and rules. So reading Moses and the prophets was not the problem.
The problem was that the Jews used only their natural intellect that was governed by what their natural eyes saw and what their natural ears heard. They did not hear God’s voice and understand with their hearts.
Verse 31 goes on to say that seeing a natural miracle, like someone rising from physical death to physical life, will not be enough to convince people about what God is trying to say when he speaks to their hearts. This is consistent with God’s attitudes about people who are always looking for Signs and Wonders.
The contrast between those who use only their natural eyes and ears and intellect to understand and those who listen for God’s voice is characterized throughout the Bible as the difference between Old/First Covenant religionists and New Covenant disciples. We have represented those differences in the following pages:
Luke 24:25-32 RSV: And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, 29 but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?”
COMMENTARY: When Jesus calls men who were on the road to Emmaus “foolish and slow of heart” for not believing “all that the prophets had spoken,” he is criticizes them for their inability to interpret the spiritual intent of the law and the prophets. Being Old/First Covenant Jews, they understood the letter of the law but did not understand the spirit of it. What he does then is fellowship with them and teach them by giving them spiritual bread. Only then were their spiritual eyes opened so that they could see Jesus for who he really was.
Luke 24:36-49 RSV: As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. 37 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 * [No text] 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”
COMMENTARY: Here Jesus affirms the spiritual meaning of the law of Moses and opens the minds and hearts of his disciples so they could understand the words of the law with spiritual eyes and ears. He also cautions them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Only after they have the ability to understand with spiritual eyes and ears and receive the Holy Spirit will they be New Covenant disciples.
John 1:45 RSV: Philip found Nathan’a-el, and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
John 5:39 KJV: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts 17:2 KJV: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 17:11 KJV: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Acts 18:24-28: Now a Jew named Apol’los, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aq’uila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Acha’ia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.
Acts 26:22 RSV: To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass
Acts 28:23 RSV: When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.
Romans 15:4 KJV: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures8 might have hope.
Romans 16:26 KJV: But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received , how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures ;4 And that he was buried , and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
2 Timothy 3:15 KJV: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 3:14-18 RSV: Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
COMMENTARY: To acknowledge that some of Paul’s writings are hard to understand is an understatement. They are hard, however, only for ignorant and unstable Old/First Covenant religionists who interpret them literally. In applying literal interpretations they twist the spiritual meanings of scriptures in ways that bring destruction on themselves and others.
Although these ignorant and unlearned men are reading the law of Moses, Peter calls them lawless men. By that he means that they are lawless with respect to the New Covenant where the law would be written on their hearts. In other words, they know the letter of the law but they do not know or understand the spirit of the law (i.e. New Covenant).
Finally, Peter exhorts readers to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. Grace is a code word for New Covenant as we report in Faith, Grace, Mercy and Peace.
Since the time of clear, plain understanding has not come for readers who neither trust nor understand the Old Testament, they are forced to defend their arguments with the limited information the Bible provides in parable form to explain creation, the rest of the Garden of Eden story, and indeed the entire Bible. They are like little children who will see in a glass dimly until they put away their childish ways. In their self-righteous adherence to the literal law, they appear to the world like foolish, fundamentalist, religious wannabes while they receive sought-after praise and encouragement from their like-minded brethren.
The way we see it, no minds are changed in this ongoing debate where the creationists end up preaching to the choir which is only too glad to pay (i.e with money or praise) someone who is willing to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. It is just another example of Commercial Religion combined with Displaying Righteousness Before Men.